Grell Audio isn’t a household name, but its founder, Axel Grell, is a legend in the audiophile community. As Sennheiser’s chief headphone designer for the better part of 30 years, he was a driving force behind the company’s series of highly regarded audio products like the expensive but exceptional HD800 and HD800S. Now, on his own, Grell has focused on a new goal: creating a set of true wireless earbuds that don’t compromise sound quality and, perhaps more importantly, don’t cost the equivalent of lease payments. She comes. Ferrari. Their first effort is embodied in the Grell TWS/1, a sleek-looking set of earbuds that are priced at $200, and can be pre-ordered from the Grell Audio website starting today and are expected to ship by November.
“I always try to create the best possible acoustic experience for the money, no matter the price,” Axel Grell said in a press release. The TWS/1 features and specifications seem to support Grell’s statement. With the exception of active noise cancellation (ANC), most of the embedded technology appears set to a high standard of audio performance: high-precision dynamic drivers, dynamic transducers with tolerances of +/- 1 dB, and strong support for high quality. Bluetooth codecs like SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive and LHDC. Grell has also included Sonarworks’ SoundID personalized tuning software to help people customize the sound of the TWS/1 to their particular listening profile.